AIDS

Question 1

HIV

Answer 1

Human immunodeficiency virus.

A virus that destroys human immune cells, thus bringing about a severe weakening of the immune system.

Question 2

AIDS

Answer 2

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
A collection of illnesses that occur in the late stages of HIV infection, when the patient’s immune system has been severely weakened by the virus.

Question 3

3 Classes of factors that affect the individual’s risk of HIV infection:

Answer 3

• Biological
• Sexual Behaviour
• Socio-economic

Question 4

4 Biological factors affecting HIV infection risk

Answer 4

• Infection with other STDs
• Women are at higher risk of HIV transmission
• Circumcised men are at lower risk
• Genetic factors can influence susceptibility

Question 5

3 Reasons for gender inequality being a significant driving factor in HIV spread. (Gender inequality falls within the Sexual behaviour class)

Answer 5

• Limited employment opportunities for women, means that many women are forced to rely on transactional sex as basic survival strategy.
• Many women are financially dependent of their male partners.
• Gender power imbalances make it difficult for women to confront partners.

Question 6

Why is high levels of partner concurrency a promoting factor in HIV spreading.

Answer 6

• Individuals infected with HIV are most infectious during the first few weeks of infection.
• A person who acquires HIV from one partner is likely to transmit the virus to another partner quickly.

Question 7

How did HIV prevalence compare between level of education in the early stages of the epidemic?

Answer 7

HIV prevalence levels were higher in more educated individuals than in less educated individuals, explained by people with higher socio-economic status finding it easier to attract partners.

Question 8

How does HIV prevalence compare between level of education in recent studies?

Answer 8

They find that the risk of HIV is higher in less educated individuals. This could be due to relatively more HIV/AIDS awareness programmes in recent years.

Question 9

How does HIV prevalence compare between urban and rural areas?

Answer 9

HIV prevalence tends to be higher in urban areas than in rural areas:

• partly due to greater opportunities for sexual networking in urban areas.
• the epidemic has typically started in urban areas and gradually filtered through to rural areas.

Question 10

Symptoms following initial HIV infection

Answer 10

• glandular fever-like symptoms that last for a few weeks.
• This is the ‘window period’, in which an individual will test negative for HIV on antibody tests.
• Following initial symptoms, the individual enters a prolonged asymptomatic phase, typically lasting 4 to 6 years.
• Intermittent symptoms follow - such as weight loss, diarrhoea and oral infections.
• Finally, when the immune system has been severely weakened by the HIV infection, individuals experience a variety of opportunistic infections.

Question 11

When does an individual start testing positive for HIV on antibody tests?

Answer 11

Typically 3 to 4 weeks after infection, after the individual has seroconverted.

Question 12

Seroconversion

Answer 12

Development of antibodies in blood serum as a result of infection or immunisation.

Question 13

Median time from infection to death from HIV/AIDS

Answer 13

between 9 and 11 years, in the absence of antiretroviral treatment.

Question 14

Stages 1 and 2 of the WHO clinical stages.

Answer 14

Defined in terms of minor symptoms, such as swollen glands and skin rashes.

Question 15

Stage 3 of the WHO clinical stages

Answer 15

Defined in terms of symptoms such as weight loss, oral infections and diarrhoea.

Question 16

Stage 4 of the WHO clinical stages

Answer 16

Equivalent to AIDS.

Question 17

How are individuals classified by the WHO clinical stages

Answer 17

In terms of the most severe symptoms they have experienced up to the current time. (An individual cannot go from stage 3 back to stage 1)

Question 18

Survival rate differences concerning ages.

Answer 18

• Individuals at young ages tend to survive for longer than individuals infected at older ages.
• Yet, children who are infected at or before birth experience very high AIDS mortality during the first year of life, as their immune systems don’t have a chance to establish.

Question 19

How effective is treatment for HIV?

Answer 19

• Antiretroviral drugs can limit the replication of the virus and thus bring about a reduction in the HIV viral load and a restoration of the immune system.
• HAART regimens have been shown to reduce mortality rates by between 70% and 90%.
• Individuals who start treatment earlier are more likely to benefit

Question 20

3 regimens of HIV treatment

Answer 20

• monotherapy
• dual therapy
• highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART)

Question 21

Strategies for preventing HIV

Answer 21

• HIV prevention programmes need to begin with information and education campaigns to build awareness around HIV and its consequences
• Voluntary counselling and testing to inform individuals of their HIV status
• Improved treatment of STDs.
• Prevention of mother-to-child transmission
• Use of HAART by HIV-positive individuals
• Use of antiretroviral drugs by HIV-negative individuals.

Question 22

How is the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission reduced?

Answer 22

• Provision of antiretroviral drugs to the mother and infant before and after birth, and through counselling on infant feeding options.

Question 23

How does the use of HAART aid prevention?

Answer 23

HAART reduces the concentration of HIV in the body to very low levels, thereby reducing the infectiousness of HIV-positive individuals.
- Recent studies showed that HIV-positive individuals receiving HAART were 96% less likely to transmit HIV to their sexual partners.